PREP FOOTBALL: NMPreps brings Combine to Las Cruces

LAS CRUCES >> New Mexico State graduate Kyle Henderson was able to bring the state's biggest offseason high school football event to Las Cruces.

It has been eight years in the making, but the NMPreps.com Elite Combine will be held in Las Cruces for the first time at the Field of Dreams on Friday night.

"I'm eager to see how this event goes," Henderson said. "One of my major concerns has been, will people complain that it was in Las Cruces. I have had zero complaints. I think people are excited about it because Las Cruces is known for high school football. Depending on how it goes, I would explore options to have it in Las Cruces again."

Henderson has held the Combine at Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho the previous seven years.

"This is where I started NMPreps," said Henderson, a 2007 NMSU alumi who started NMPreps.com in 2006. "I'm so excited to bring it to Las Cruces."

Construction at Cleveland High and the desire and sponsorship from the Las Cruces Convention and Visitor's Bureau led to moving the event to Las Cruces.

Other sponsors include Price's Creameries, Burger Time, Samson Equipment and the Mayfield and Oñate booster clubs.The Las Cruces High booster club provided rooms for NMPreps staff at SpringHill Suites by Marriott.

"Cleveland has been an excellent host, but they are redoing their track this summer," Henderson said. "I have always talked to (Convention and Visitor's Bureau) about bringing a seven-on-seven here or something, but this all fell together. The logistics were more difficult and I had to reach out to all of the high schools in Las Cruces to get coaches, booster clubs and the Field of Dreams. It has all been very fluid."

The cost for renting the Field of Dreams for Friday's event under the lights was in the $600 neighborhood.

"The heat is the main reason for doing it under the lights, but I really want to give the kids something to remember," Henderson said. "A Friday night under the lights at the Field of Dreams is going to be really memorable. I want kids to have that experience."

Henderson said this year's Combine will consist of 240 players from New Mexico and a few from the El Paso area.

Athletes are tested in the 40-yard dash, the broad jump, pro agility and the bench press at 185 pounds.

Players are then broken up into position groups for individual drills before the one-on-one competition at the end of the night from 10 p.m. until midnight.

There are awards for standouts, including the Combine MVP, which went to Las Cruces High quarterback Kameron Miller last year. Centennial offensive lineman George Nino was last year's outstanding offensive lineman.

"I think it speaks to the quality of the event and the statewide outreach," Henderson said. "It's cool to see guys from smaller schools compete against the guys from bigger schools on a statewide stage."

Henderson said coaches from all four Las Cruces Public Schools programs will be on the field on Friday.

"I think Kyle brings a lot with his website and our kids like to follow along and see things on NMPreps and it makes them more motivated and excited to succeed," Centennial football coach Aaron Ocampos said. "He does a lot to promote individuals. In the past, we have had kids who wanted to go, but more are excited about it because it's here this year."